Blending between street view and earth view

1. A method for generating a blended image comprising:

determining, by one or more computing devices, a plurality of fragments for a three-dimensional (3D) model of a geographical location, wherein each fragment of the plurality of fragments corresponds to a pixel of the blended image and each fragment has a fragment color from the 3D model;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, geospatial location data for each fragment based on latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information associated with the 3D model;

for each fragment of the plurality of fragments, identifying, by the one or more computing devices, a pixel color and an image based at least in part on the geospatial location data;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a blending ratio based on at least one of a position and an orientation of a virtual camera, wherein the blending ratio is a ratio of a quantity of a pixel color to a quantity of a fragment color; and

generating, by the one or more computing devices, the blended image based on at least the blending ratio, the pixel color, and the fragment color.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing for display, by the one or more computing devices, the blended image.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the blending ratio is based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera relative to the image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pixel of the blended image corresponds to a pixel of a display.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quantity of the pixel color increases as at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera aligns with the image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quantity of the fragment color increases as the virtual camera moves away from the image or as at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera misaligns with the image.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request to transition from the image to another image.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing for display, by the one or more computing devices, a series of blended images corresponding to a path of the transition from the image to another image.

9. A system comprising:

a memory;

one or more computing devices, each of the one or more computing devices having one or more processors, the one or more computing devices being coupled to the memory;

wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to:

determine a plurality of fragments for a three-dimensional (3D) model of a geographical location, wherein each fragment of the plurality of fragments corresponds to a pixel of a blended image and each fragment has a fragment color from the 3D model;

determine geospatial location data for each fragment based on latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information associated with the 3D model;

for each fragment of the plurality of fragments, identify a pixel color and an image based at least in part on the geospatial location data;

determine a blending ratio is based on at least one of a position and an orientation of a virtual camera, wherein the blending ratio is a ratio of a quantity of a pixel color to a quantity of a fragment color; and

generate the blended image based on at least the blending ratio, the pixel color, and the fragment color.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to provide for display the blended image.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the blending ratio is based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera relative to the image.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pixel of the blended image corresponds to a pixel of a display.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the quantity of the pixel color increases as at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera aligns with the image.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the quantity of the fragment color increases as the virtual camera moves away from the image or as at least one of the position and the orientation of the virtual camera misaligns with the image.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to receive a request to transition from the image to another image.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to provide for display a series of blended images corresponding to a path of the transition from the image to another image.

17. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more computing devices perform a method for generating a blended image, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of fragments for a three-dimensional (3D) model of a geographical location, wherein each fragment of the plurality of fragments corresponds to a pixel of the blended image and each fragment has a fragment color from the 3D model;

determining geospatial location data for each fragment based on latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information associated with the 3D model;

for each fragment of the plurality of fragments, identifying a pixel color and an image based at least in part on the geospatial location data;

determining a blending ratio based on at least one of a position and an orientation of a virtual camera, wherein the blending ratio is a ratio of a quantity of a pixel color to a quantity of a fragment color; and

generating the blended image based on at least the blending ratio, the pixel color, and the fragment color.

18. The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising providing for display the blended image.